11 Aug What Attracts Mosquitoes?
At NET effect, we know that nothing is more annoying than getting swarmed by insects. We want you to be aware of the most common reasons why you may be bitten. Here’s what attracts mosquitoes:
1. Your Blood Type
Research has shown that ‘skeeters’ prefer certain blood types over others. One study found that individuals with Type O blood get bitten twice as frequently as their Type A counterparts. About 85% of people secrete a chemical from their skin that indicates which blood type they are, detectable by mosquitoes.
2. Your Breath
Did you know that mosquitoes can also detect the carbon dioxide you exhale from up to 164 feet away?! Larger people generally breathe out more carbon dioxide, which is one of the reasons why adults generally get bitten more frequently than children.
3. Your Exercise Routine
Along with the carbon dioxide you exhale, there are several other things mosquitoes can “smell” on you, such as lactic and uric acids, ammonia and other substances in your sweat. They also warm up to hot bodies, so consider exercising indoors!
4. The Bacteria on Your Skin
There are a few strains of bacteria to which mosquitoes are extremely attracted. Having large quantities of those strains on your skin turns you into a tasty treat for mosquitoes. Ankles and feet usually have greater concentrations of bacteria, which is why you get more bites in those areas. Don’t forget to wash your hands (and feet, too)!
5. Beer
Before you grab a cold one, you might want to ask yourself if it’s worth the calories and potential bug bites. Just one beer can make you more attractive to insects. Scientists are stumped as to exactly why this is.
6. Pregnancy
If you’re expecting a baby, you should also be expecting mosquito bites. Pregnant women were found to attract about twice as many mosquitoes as their non-pregnant friends. This is due, in part, to the fact that pregnant women exhale more carbon dioxide and have higher body temperatures on average.
7. Your Sense of Style
When you stand out in a crowd because of the colors you wear, you actually stand out to mosquitoes. Strong, dark colors like black and red are likely to get you noticed by mosquitoes.
8. Not Just Your Jeans, But Your Genes Too
Overall, your genes account for 85% of the factors that correlate to your attractiveness (or lack thereof) to mosquitoes. Some people are actually lucky enough to have natural insect repellents built into their bodies. We’ll let you know when we figure out the genetics aspects and can replicate them in NET effect!
Stop Being So Attractive (to Mosquitoes)
We hope that you’ve gleaned some insight into what attracts mosquitoes and can better prevent them from getting under your skin. If you’re a Type O, seven-foot tall, exercise-crazy, beer chugging pregnant woman (though we hope you’re not!) who wears black clothes and doesn’t take a lot of showers, you should definitely check out the NET effect store today! Everyone else is welcome, too!